Squiz Today / 25 January 2018
Squiz Today – Thursday, 25 January
SQUIZ SAYINGS
"I made you a sandwich (ham & cheese), now ski 37 days and 600 kilometres to the South Pole and you can eat it."
When Melbourne schoolgirl Jade Hameister gave a TEDx talk in 2016 encouraging girls to think adventurously some silly blokes jumped online and told her to “make me a sandwich.” This school holidays she trekked to the North Pole, set a record along the way, and had the last laugh. Brilliant.
GOLD COAST MOTHER ACCUSED OF MURDER AND TORTURE
THE SQUIZ
Gold Coast mother Maree Crabtree was charged yesterday with the murder of two of her disabled adult children and torturing a third adult child. Crabtree (51yo) is alleged to have killed 18yo Erin in September 2012 and 26yo Jonathan in July 2016. Police say both deaths were staged as suicides but were premeditated and “financially motivated”. And Crabtree is also accused of torturing another daughter aged 25yo for seven years until July last year. That sibling is now in care and had been hospitalised for an extended period. Police yesterday said the case is a complex one. Crabtree was also charged with fraud and armed robbery.
TELL ME MORE…
Police did not disclose the nature of the victims' disabilities, but they allege Erin and Jonathan’s deaths weren’t “acts of compassion” by their mother. They say Crabtree dressed up their poisoning murders as suicides and made (or attempted to make) false insurance claims totalling almost $1 million. The police investigation kicked off with Jonathan’s death, leading to a review of Erin’s case, and then the alleged torture of their sister kicked it further along.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Crabtree appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court yesterday, and the case was adjourned until next month. Her lawyer said she would vigorously defend the allegations. Police called on anyone who might be able to assist with their investigation to come forward. There was no further detail available on the armed robbery charge.
SAUSAGES FOR GOOD
PRESENTED BY WOOLWORTHS
Two things that we think are excellent:
1. Helping people in need; and,
2. Sausage sizzles.
If you're thinking of hosting an Australia Day BBQ, why not pop into Woolies for a specially marked pack of OzSizzle snags. Woolies will forward 10c from every pack sold to OzHarvest. And if your BBQ guests want to make a donation to OzHarvest, that can be done at Woolies too.
OzHarvest supports vulnerable Aussies, raising money to help put food on the table for those who are going without. For every $1 provided to OzHarvest, they can supply two meals to someone in need.
Find out more about OzSizzle here.
SQUIZ THE REST
ATTACK ON SAVE THE CHILDREN OFFICES
Gunmen entered the international aid agency in Jalalabad, Afghanistan after a suicide bomber blasted the front of the compound yesterday morning local time. Forty-six of those inside were able to make it to a safe room and were eventually rescued. However, three staff members were killed along with a soldier in the hours' long siege. Authorities said all five attackers were also killed and Islamic State claimed responsibility. Save the Children said it has temporarily suspended its programs in Afghanistan. It comes just days after 22 mainly foreign guests were killed at the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul in an attack carried out by the Taliban.
TRUMP IN THE SIGHTS OF RUSSIA INQUIRY INVESTIGATORS
US media are reporting that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Trump campaign’s Russian links will seek to question President Donald Trump in the coming weeks. Team Mueller particularly want to know about the sackings of former FBI director James Comey and White House national security adviser Michael Flynn and if their dismissals had anything to do with covering the campaign’s rumoured connections to Moscow. It was also revealed the investigation has already questioned Comey and the Trump administration’s Attorney General, Jeff Sessions. No one is saying much on the record, but it’s clear this is making some people more uncomfortable than a Sydney train commuter. However, Team Trump has said none of it worries the President because he's done nothing wrong.
RARE CANCERS GET MUCH NEEDED RESEARCH FUNDING
They’re the cancers that have awful survival rates because in many cases they don’t get the research focus, yet they’re responsible for half the cancer deaths in Australia. So the federal government’s investment of $26 million for 19 clinical trials has been warmly welcomed. Survival rates for more common cancers have improved dramatically in recent years, but those diagnosed with a rare cancer have a less than 50% chance of surviving five years after diagnosis. Health Minister Greg Hunt said more funding for more trials could be on the way next financial year.
AUSSIE OPEN MOVES TO SEMI-FINALS MODE
It’s been a turbulent few days at the Australian Open. Rafael Nadal is out (retired hurt), and he's not happy about it. Novak Djokovic and Tennys Sandgren (yes his first name is Tennys…) were dismissed by rising Korean star Chung Hyeon. He’ll face off against Roger Federer who was successful last night against Tomáš Berdych. Marin Čilić and the Brit, Kyle Edmunds, make up the final four. And on the women’s side of the draw, it’s a European themed semi-finals with Angelique Kerber, Elise Mertens, Caroline Wozniacki and Simona Halep. Who knows where the finals on Saturday (women’s) and Sunday (men’s) nights will land. But we can't wait.
ELTON JOHN TO WRAP UP TOURING
When we saw the headline first thing this morning that Sir Elton John was going to make a “statement on the future” we thought that made sense because we knew he was attending the World Economic Forum in Davos. Turns out his statement was about matters closer to home. He’s going to embark on a ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour that will play 300 dates and will take three years to complete as a long goodbye to touring. And after that, he will still perform and write, just not on the road. Husband David Furnish last year said they were coming to decision time with their children turning seven and five and needing them home more than ever. With his legion of fans, we bet Elton will feel the love tonight…
THURSDAY LITES – THREE THINGS WE LIKED THIS WEEK
If you’ve ever wondered about online restaurant reviews, you’ll love the story of one man’s campaign to make a fake London restaurant #1 on TripAdvisor. Here’s the 18-minute video (totally worth the time investment) and here’s the print version. It's great fun.
Ever wondered about how Americans seem to be able to fly with their pets on board? Airline Delta is cracking down. Which is really just a long way of drawing your attention to Daniel the emotional support duck.
When we were kids, we used to go berry picking on Australia Day. One time we came across a black snake that was so big we thought it was a poly pipe coming out of a dam. Shiver… Anyway, a favourite thing to do was to have these pikelets with some of our haul of fresh berries. It’s a ye olde Sunbeam recipe and is still the best. Enjoy.
SQUIZ THE DAY
Thursday
ABS Data Release - Labour Force, Detailed, December
Burns Night - a great big Scottish celebration
Friday
Saturday
International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
Sunday
9.00pm (AEDT) - Netball Quad Series - Australia Diamonds v New Zealand Silver Ferns - South Africa
Cyprus Presidential Election
~ So as you can probably tell we're taking the public holiday off tomorrow. We'll talk to you on Monday. Aveagoodweekend.
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